The Navy Club of Carbon County celebrated its 15th anniversary during a special program Monday afternoon in the Nesquehoning VFW Post.

Known as “Navy Club Ship 260,” it was commissioned as “USS Carbon County,” said Ship Commander Scott Reinhart of Summit Hill.

Among the main activities of the club is the presentation entitled “Honoring Our Flag” to students in various Carbon County school districts.

The flag program began in 2011 and has been held nearly 50 times since then. Reinhart said that this year, the program was held for 180 students at the Carbon Career & Technical Institute; 150 students at Panther Valley Middle School; more than 200 students at Weatherly Middle School; and more than 360 students during two programs at L.B. Morris Middle School in Jim Thorpe.

Reinhart said the narrative for the flag program was written by him and Stanley Jaroszewski of Minersville Ship 257.

He also noted that the Carbon Ship has placed plaques on granite monuments in six towns — Summit Hill, Lansford, Nesquehoning, Jim Thorpe, Lehighton and Palmerton — to honor military members lost at sea.

Four charter members of the club attended the program: Reinhart, former Commander Robert Siesputowski of Lansford, John Mauro of Tamaqua and William Flail of Lavelle. More than a dozen other members also attended.

The club presented “Certificates of Appreciation” to groups and individuals “for their help in keeping our program active and letting the public know what we are doing.”

Recipients are:

• David and Lisa Hiles of Hiles Brothers Plumbing and Heating.

• State Rep. Doyle Heffley.

• State Sen. David Argall.

• Congresswoman Susan Wild.

• Carbon County Commissioners Wayne E. Nothstein, Mike Sofranko and Rocky Ahner.

• Christine M. LeClair, Carbon County Director of Veterans Affairs.

• The Rev. Marjorie Keiter of St. John’s Slovak Lutheran Church.

• VFW Post 8008, Nesquehoning.

• The Times News Publishing.

• Blue Ridge Communications TV-13.

Reinhart said that besides organizing the “Honoring Our Flag” events, the club has also participated in various “welcome home” programs.

In addition, Navy Club 260 also took part in Veterans Day programs, Memorial Day programs and Blessing of the Flags programs.